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This Vacant Paradise (2011)

by Victoria Patterson(Favorite Author)

3.19 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

1582436452 (ISBN13: 9781582436456)

languge

English

genre

Fiction

publisher

Counterpoint

review 1: I had a slow start with this book and put it down, but when I picked it back up, I got hooked right away. I think it is a thoughtfully written novel, humorous at times and heart-wrenching at others. Its depictions of Orange County life can seem over the top, but simultaneously I thought the author did an excellent job at capturing aspects of inner life and family dynamics. It is unusual to find a contemporary novel that makes a theme of shame and deals so well its effects among the characters and in the inner life. The degree to which I care about a character is always a sign of a book that I will like a lot. As I read the end, I had the wish that the author would pick up Esther's story again.
review 2: This book was indescribably awful, and the only reaso... moren I didn't give it zero stars is that it was somewhat intriguing to figure out which characters in this book corresponded to the real ones from House of Mirth. The NYTimes gave it a halfway decent review and House of Mirth is my favorite book ever so I figured I'd give it a try. The writing is atrocious and the plot implausibly simplistic, with the addition of totally gratuitous backstory that contributes nothing to character development or theme. And the end? INFURIATING!! But for the sake of some individuals who still might want to read this book I will not say why. less

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